In order to inspect a wafer on which multiple semiconductor devices are formed, a prober has been used as an inspection apparatus. The prober includes a probe card facing the wafer, and the probe card includes a plate-shaped base member and multiple column-shaped contact probes as contact terminals respectively arranged on a wafer facing surface of the base member to face electrode pads or solder bumps in the semiconductor devices on the wafer (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
In the prober, the contact probes of the probe card are brought into contact with the respective electrode pads or solder bumps and an electric current is allowed to flow from the contact probes to electric circuits of the semiconductor devices connected with the electrode pads or solder bumps, respectively, so that the prober can inspect a conducting state of each electric circuit.
Further, in order to improve inspection efficiency of a wafer, there has been developed a wafer inspection apparatus in which multiple probe cards are arranged in an inspection chamber and semiconductor devices on a wafer can be inspected by a probe card while another wafer is transferred to another probe card by a transfer stage. In this wafer inspection apparatus, multiple testers as interfaces for wafer inspection are arranged to be allowed to face the wafer within the inspection chamber, and a probe card is attached to each tester.
In the above-described wafer inspection apparatus, the probe cards need to be replaced due to wear of the contact probes, or the like. When the probe cards are replaced, the transfer stage receives the probe cards from the respective testers and transfers new probe cards or probe cards after the maintenance is completed to the respective testers. At this time, multiple electrodes of a probe card corresponding to respective contact probes need to be accurately brought into contact with pogo pins as a group of multiple contact terminals that are provided in a tester to be connected to an inspection circuit. Accordingly, when a new probe card or a probe card after the maintenance is completed is transferred to a tester, the transfer stage including a positioning pin inserts this positioning pin into a pin hole of the probe card in order for a position of the probe card not to be deviated.
Recently, there has been developed a probe card that inspects multiple semiconductor devices formed on a wafer at the same time. In such a probe card, multiple electrodes corresponding to respective contact probes are densely arranged. Thus, it is necessary to further improve accuracy in positioning the probe card to accurately bring the electrodes into contact with respective pogo pins of a tester. The accuracy in positioning the probe card can be improved by reducing a gap (clearance) between a positioning pin and a pin hole.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2002-022768